An Upper East Side songwriter gets a second chance to fulfill her childhood dream of becoming a beauty queen, even if it means competing at 44 with women half her age.
Maura Matlak throws her tiara into the ring and dresses to compete in the Miss New York USA pageant, a preliminary to Miss USA, about two decades after she missed her chance to be eligible under the old age limit of competition.
“I had to face the fact that this door was now closed to me forever and that this was the end of my dream,” she remembers thinking – before last September, when the Miss Universe Organization, which oversees local competitions, announced she was dropping out. the competition’s long-standing age limit of 28.
In 2005, Matlak, then 26, was forced to withdraw from the state competition at the last minute, opting for a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to record an album instead.
By the time she was able to prepare for a competition again, the Manhattan resident had aged.
“It was ‘mine that got away,'” she told the Post, describing how she perceived his disappointment afterward. “Over the last two decades, I had this quiet, whispery but persistent voice: “What if?” I felt like I had given up on my childhood because I hadn’t fulfilled this dream.
Now the singer and writer, who also gives private music lessons to children, said: “How often do we get a second chance in life? »
She admitted that a momentary panic initially set in as she asked herself, “Could I really do this, now, at this age?” »
But Matlak, one of the few other older aspiring beauty queens, lines up in her 4-inch wedge heels to give the whippersnappers a run for their belts.
“This is my year,” said the beauty queen hopeful, who is single but wants to get married and have children.
“I’ve been training for this since the moment (the age limit) was announced,” the Massachusetts native said, while admitting that her downstairs neighbors probably don’t like her nightly strutting around from her apartment, hugging her waist. 7 feet in heels again for the first time in years.
Matlak is in full preparation mode: ditching drinks and brunches with the girls, hiring a sought-after “pageant trainer” to get her into swimsuit shape, and cutting out dating and dairy, two “indulgences” that will be waiting until after. the June competition.
“I am committed to eliminating all distractions,” she said.
She also brings a lot more to the table now, she said.
Armed with the local title of “Miss Radio City,” the 40-year-old views this opportunity from a completely different perspective than she did in her 20s.
“My intention is to start a conversation about women and what it means to age as a woman in our society – because my mission is much different now than it was at 26,” she said. she declared.
Matlak said she would take the stage now for all the “older women who look in the mirror and ask themselves, ‘Has my ship sailed?’ Is it too late for me? “
The singer, who believes in “breaking the rules,” also strives to break tired – and tedious – societal expectations.
As a singer who has performed on some of the world’s most famous stages, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center – and who produced a musical in London’s West End – Matlak said she wanted to show to all young people in their twenties who “dread getting old”. ” and feel artificial pressure to check off every milestone of 30 years of life thinking the best is yet to come.
But not everyone thinks there’s life – or at least beauty – after 28.
The rule change has sparked ugly dissension from critics who call the move a “pure mockery” of beauty, Matlak said.
Ageists insist that change invites something as scandalous and inappropriate as “an 80-year-old man walking across the stage in a swimsuit.” to the Martha Stewart’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover, Matlak said.
“This makes me even more excited to compete in June,” said the singer, who is wearing a custom dress made with scraps of fabric from the dress she was supposed to compete in in 2005.
Reigning Miss New York USA, Rachelle di Stasio welcomed the removal of the age limit, telling the Post: “Age should never define or limit what you want to achieve in life.”
The “inclusive” decision will help change the “entrenched perception of beauty,” said the 27-year-old from the Upper West Side.
“I was competing after 28,” she said.
Applicants must still be at least 18 years old to participate.
“Research has shown that a lack of self-confidence is the No. 1 obstacle women must overcome when trying to reach their potential,” the Miss Universe Organization wrote on its website. “By developing their self-confidence through MUO experiences, women have accessed high-level careers in government, business, finance, broadcasting and entertainment. »
A competition representative added to the Post: “We are delighted with the elimination of the age limit. Along with other recent changes allowing married, divorced, pregnant and/or women with children to compete, all adult women will now have the opportunity to participate.
“This goal of inclusion opens the door for so many more women to be seen and heard, to share their stories and make an impact. This year we will have the chance to see women achieve goals that once seemed impossible.
Although the representative noted that the application process has only just begun, women over the age of 28 have expressed interest in competing, including former competitors who thought they had “aged out” and some first-time competitors .
“Some may not have had the confidence to compete when they were younger, but now they are more comfortable and confident in who they are,” the representative said.
Matlak said of her 20-year-old self: “I wanted to win a competition.
“And now I have a deep purpose – I see now that it was meant to be this way. It wasn’t my time, that’s true. I participate because I believe women of all ages deserve visibility for the contributions they make. I compete to fight ageism and promote the beauty and grace of aging.
Whatever happens in June on this stage, one thing is clear.
“At the end of the day, this second chance I was given, it’s about taking it and making the most of it,” Matlak said. “Dreams have no expiration date.”
New York Post
